National Republican., 1887-12-17

to attempt to pass the ordeal OF civil SER
vice examination. He found that several
preliminary formalltles must first be COM
piled with. The first requisite was the in
dorsement OF three persons Zone Of whom
II was desired should be physician) to
vouch for the applicants habits, general
respectability, and acquaintance with him
for several years, wise precaution against
disreputable and unhealthy persons entering
the employ Of the government. Complying
with all the requirements, and forwarding
the papers to the commission, postal was
received informing the reporter that on a
certain date at o q. m. he should forthwith
present himself at the civil service rooms
Tor examination, or forever after seek en-
ployment outside the government work.
shops.
There are two classes OF examinations
the general, covering positions ranging
from 81 900 upward, and the limited, rang.
ing from 5000 downward. Supplemental
and special examinations are also held, Gov
ing drawing, bookkeeping, typewriting, &c.
Fortified with the postal, which was 0
be the "open sesame" into the mysterious
portals, the reporter presented himself at
the designated time and place to the be-
sieged doorkeeper, VINO, after a close
GCiutu1 VI tbC uhbt anu VI tub
card, obligingly admitted him to the ex-
amining hall, which was then nearly filled
with applicsnts, the majority being of the
female persuasion. Young men and old
men were there; some with bald pates and
gray hairs, fat and lean, tall aud short, the
laugh.and grow.fat man and the grumbing
man, handsome girls and plain girls, dump
lipgs, ducBlings, kissable girls, and those
you'd rather some other fellow would kiss.
IL .-N A.
at the hands OF the affable Mr.. Webster and
his assistants. A desk, on which was bot
tie Of ink and blotter, was assigned each
applicant, who was also given q number by
which he or she would be known In the
examination, the object being that when
the papers were finally marked by the ex-
aminiug board absolute fairness would be
assured, no one knowing upon whose paper
he was passing Judgment. Mr.. Webster
was to be held with any one, and that any
whispering or coaching would result in
prompt ejectment from the room. After
each desk had a more or less trembling AMI
palpitating heart behind 1t the examination
began. The first exercise on the list was
one designed to test each applicants hearing
common.sense intuitivenes, and handwrit-
ing. The examiner read IN loud and
clear voice an article which was
to be transcribed in so many minutes,
each one taking as many words as possible
In the given time. The first reading was to
give all an Idea Of Its import, end then
"time' was called, and each took firm
grasp of the pen, writing for dear life, on
numbered sheet OF paper, corresponding
to the applicants number, as much OF each
sentence as possible before another was
given. Owing to the training the reporter
had received In the course Of his checkared
career In taking the words Of fluent speak
ers before they got away, as well as what
they often wished they had not said, he was
the first to bob up serenely. being closely
followed by stately, angelic blonde on his
left. The heads kept on bobbing up Inter
mittently until the last one had finished,
when the time Of completion was attached
to the papers, and exercise No. l had ended.
A paper was then handed around having
on it an extract from discourse which was
to be copied exactly. This was to test the
accuracy, handwriting, and speed OF the
several applicants. The time of starting
ara finishing were attached, after which an
exercise on spelling was given, oonssting
IA plain and distinct manner, the definition
also being given. The reporter expected
that such words as sipromethean," "prome.
rops''m, "triglyphs," "amfiexicaul," "cili.
"dichotomous" would be hurled at the
unsuspecting aspirants, but instead the
simplest, easiest words Of two or three
Plicity was the difficulty, each being fol.
I1esa with HnG an e1tey t1' ds1sns sms
definition. Numerous were the ruses re-
sorted to In order to catch some clew to the
spelling not contained in the definition.
''Is 1t noun or pronounP" "Does It mean
-" "Tbat's the past partlciple of -,
amt it'" were asked by some, but the only
and the definition is =" The papers
being handed In, the next was an exercise
having several examples In addition, SUBJ
traction, multiplication, and fractions.
Here was where the reporter felt he would
meet his first Waterloo. He had seen fig
ures lie SO often that he was somewhat In
doubt as to the result. The frat example
was In simple addition, and the scribe being
accustomed to adding up large columns,
representing the princely salaries usually
paid newspaper men, accomplished 1t with
out difficulty. Next was an example In
subtraction, and was easily figured out by
the reporter, owing to frequent discussions
he had had with his many uucles as to the
amount due them. Multiplication was also
easily passed, aud then came the fractions,
the margin and on the reverse side, until the
page looked like Chinese laundry ticket.
Other exercises followed in rapid success
sion. The examination was finally COM
pleted and the applicants dispersed, await
ing the marking OF their papers.
The supplemental examination was then
commenced. 1t differed from the others In
lowing a genial young gentleman the re-
porter found himself In one Of the ant
rooms, and an examination In stenography
was commenced. Opening volume, con
tanning debate on technical subject, tn
examiner looked at his watch, "ready'
was given, and the test commenced. Til
result was that the reporter was seized With
faster and faster from the examiners lips
the paralysis increased, so that toward the
close he was writing the most outrageous
looking notes he had ever seen. The time
consumed was marked on the last page of
the notes, which then became the prop
erty OF the government. A dicta-
tion on letter-writing. followed, and
the exercise, the latter being accomplished
easily. Typewriting was next In order, and
here all sorts OF pitfalls awaited the as
pirant. Exercises IN speed, tabulation, and
In preparing various forms of blanks were
given. Facility In composition was also In
cluded, and an article full OF typographical
errors was required to be correctly tran
scribed.
AS the reporter was handing In his last
page, very pretty, curly-headed blonde
had Just passed few lines beyond the
point on her page where certain omission
should have been inserted, but which she
discovered too late TO rectiiy, only one page
being allowed to each exercise.
"Oh, pshaw" was the exclamation that
startled the quiet Of the Office, nearly tum-
bling the clerks out of their chairs. 1t was
accompanied by an angry toss OF the blonde
curls; "there 1t is, I've gone aud done It,
Webster explained, was impossible. UWell,
I'll withdraw my papers them" this also was
explained TO be against the rules. "I don't
Jam ", uot,